The choice of project management softwares on the market today is truly overwhelming. From cheap low-end solutions with limited functions suitable for smaller teams and projects, through mid-range softwares with higher prices but more solid features and all the way to high-end systems designed with large organizations and massive endeavors in mind. But even within these very general boundaries the variety of project planner softwares is amazing, which means that selecting the ideal one can be a somewhat tricky and will definitely require a significant amount of research.

Flexibility in project management softwares

One of the most important things you should be looking for is flexibility. Whether it’s a large scale development carried out by a large corporation or the remodeling your kitchen, sticking to project planner software is a commitment. That’s why it is very important that the tool you choose is flexible enough to adapt to any changes that might occur during the project. Also, taking a good look at the features they offer might prove to be a good idea as well: realizing in the middle of the project that the software does not support task relations and you need manually change 234 dates is not a pleasant thing to experience.

Researching project management tools

Another important aspect of flexibility is the ability to share. You will need to answer questions like: Do I need to import MS Project files? Do I need mobile compatibility (in case of frequent business trips) or real time online collaboration (in case of business partners abroad)? Do I need to export the schedule to different formats (for presentations etc.)? And contrary to what you might think, these useful features are not exclusive to high-end project management tools, what’s more, some of these expensive softwares don’t even feature them. So the bottom line, basically, is to do your homework and take your time to conduct an extensive market research: you might be surprised at how much some of the smaller softwares can offer.